France: PSG plans to build a stadium with up to 90,000 seats
source: StadiumDB.com; author: Paulina Skóra
Paris Saint-Germain is now determined to have its own stadium, turning its back on Parc des Princes. The decision made by Anne Hidalgo will not change anything—the club’s leaders in the capital have decided and are no longer planning to purchase their current venue.
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PSG looks for an ideal location… but finding one is hard
Club officials believe the historic venue belongs to a different era and has shown its limitations when it comes to modernization. Nasser Al-Khelaifi has repeated this several times in recent months, although some still doubted his words. Meanwhile, Laurent Perrin, head of the sports section at Le Parisien, confirms that PSG has not been working on acquiring Parc des Princes for months and that all attention is now focused on building a new stadium.
So far, no decision has been made on the exact location of the new stadium, but it is already clear that two locations previously considered have been ultimately discarded: the racetrack in Saint-Cloud and Montigny-Le-Bretonneux. PSG wants the stadium to be close to the new training center in Poissy and well-connected to public transportation. PSG can count on support from the Île-de-France region and its president, Valérie Pécresse. According to Le Parisien, Pécresse held a meeting with local authorities on November 21 to discuss the matter, coinciding with the inauguration of the Poissy campus. As for land belonging to the Stellantis factory in Poissy, which would meet many of PSG’s requirements, the newspaper notes that "the obstacles seem countless."
We are still searching, several projects are on the table (…). It's complicated, we won’t hide it. We need enough space, and there are legal and environmental restrictions… There aren't dozens of places, but there are a few,
said PSG’s CEO, Victoriano Melero, in an interview with Le Parisien on October 8.
© Chabe01 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
A superstadium for over a billion euros?
According to Le Parisien, the project for the future stadium is being led by Populous, a renowned American architectural firm specializing in sports facilities. The company already has a vision for a modern next-generation
stadium, fully modular, with a capacity ranging from 50,000 to 90,000 seats. The venue will be designed not only for PSG matches but also for other sporting events and large concerts. This massive project, estimated to cost over a billion euros, is intended to last for the next fifty years.
Although Qatar still has the final say in the matter, Arctos Partners—a fund that bought a 12.5% stake in PSG last year—also plays a key role. It turns out that the investor is highly involved in the plan to provide the French champions with a stadium capable of not only accommodating more fans but also generating huge revenues. On paper, this entire vision looks exciting, although the opening of the new stadium won’t happen for several more years.
© Zakarie Faibis (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Ultras call for staying at parc des princes
On December 3, Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP) issued a statement calling for renewed dialogue between PSG’s management and the city authorities. The fan group, determined to stay at Parc des Princes—the iconic stadium of the capital’s club—has announced peaceful but firm mobilization. As fans, we want to stay at Parc. This stadium is our home
, they wrote in the statement, emphasizing the emotional and historical significance of the venue. The CUP’s statement was a response to remarks made by Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, who confirmed on November 21 in the Rothen S’enflamme program on RMC that the club plans to leave Parc des Princes.
I love Parc so much, everyone loves it. If I listened to my heart, we wouldn’t leave. But everyone in Europe has stadiums with 80,000–90,000 seats… we need one too, otherwise, we’re dead,
said the Qatari president during the official opening of the training center in Poissy, Yvelines. We are in France, but also in Europe. The city leaves us no choice
, he added emphatically.
© Chabe01 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Will al-khelaïfi listen to the fans’ appeal?
According to Collectif Ultras Paris, recent sudden and awkward
comments from both sides have deepened the impasse between PSG’s leadership and the city. The blockade situation between the management and the city hall is so serious that leaving Parc seems increasingly likely. We cannot accept that, but it’s never too late,
the fans wrote in their statement, expressing hope for a solution. The group also emphasizes that there are real possibilities for modernizing and expanding Parc des Princes. Fans are calling on the city authorities and PSG’s management to urgently resume dialogue, which could lead to a solution that satisfies both sides.
The club’s fans are also directly appealing to Nasser Al-Khelaïfi to take their stance into account in this matter. They are urging Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo and members of the City Council to propose a lease agreement to PSG. According to the fans, such an agreement would allow for the expansion of the stadium while also supporting the club’s continued growth. The Ultras have repeatedly expressed their desire to stay at Parc des Princes. During the match against FC Nantes on November 30, they unfurled a banner that read PSG is Parc.
This was probably not the last demonstration of their unwavering love for the stadium. The group is planning more mobilizations, which will be peaceful
but firm,
encouraging all Paris Saint-Germain supporters to join their actions.
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